Prior art FIG. 7 shows a right angle connector 80 including a flexible electronic component 86 disposed between a motherboard 84 and a daughterboard 82 having circuit traces 83 and 85, respectively. Connector 80 includes a connector housing 88 with a surface 89 for pressing flexible electronic component 86 against circuit trace 83 on daughterboard 82, and against circuit trace 85 of motherboard 84. Conventional connector 80 advantageously provides a means to interconnect the circuit traces of two printed circuit boards at a right angle. However, the conductive pad 83 must be located close to an edge of its respective board 82.
The present invention provides a right angle connector for use in interconnecting circuits on a first electrical assembly, e.g. a printed circuit board, with the circuit of a second electrical assembly, e.g. an active electrical device mounted on a second printed circuit board. The present invention advantageously: conserves space between the electrical assemblies to be joined; and eliminates the need to join the electrical assemblies at an edge of one assembly. Additionally, the present invention advantageously provides the biasing forces necessary to ensure that the circuit traces on the flexible electronic component of the present invention are maintained in engagement with the circuit traces on the printed circuit board and the electrical device.